“The Narrows” was the perfect plunge into vacation mode.
After dropping off luggage, we hopped onto the seasonally mandatory shuttle bus and rode toward its uppermost stop, the Temple of Sinewava. Each curve of the road took us deeper into the intriguing walls of Zion. We craned to see rocks that stretched up like skyscrapers, sipped water from our Camelbaks and constantly nudged one another to “look at that!”
Navajo sandstone fills the biggest space amongst Zion’s nine layers of vibrant rock. A shifting of the earth’s crust some 200 million years ago sloshed ocean water over giant sand dunes that rose far above our modern day dunes. The sea minerals cemented the sand grains, transforming those ancient wind-swept dunes into permanent fixtures. Subsequent motions in the crust lifted and tilted the newly-formed rock, draining the sea but leaving rivers behind to further embellish the landscape by carving dramatic canyons and eroding honeycombed crevices and caves. Hiking “The Narrows” would give us a first-hand glance at erosion in action. And be a LOT of fun…
To access “The Narrows,” we first walked the one-mile “Riverside Trail” to its finish at the chilly Virgin River. After slipping my camera into our dry bag, we began our hike by simply walking into the clear waters of the river.
Absolute exhilaration.
There’s not much better than a river hike on a hot day. You expect to get wet and maybe a little dirty. There’s no need to step over puddles; instead, you aim for them. It’s the perfect kid hike (for the kid in all of us).
Debra, a part-time employee at the Cliffrose Lodge had thoughtfully provided us with the necessary hiking sticks (her own) to remain upright in the swift current and over the slippery rocks. As we made our way upriver, the canyon walls enclosed us, blocking all direct sunlight and sheltering us from the sweltering heat. Water trickled and occasionally gushed down the sheer walls sustaining hanging gardens of green that clung to the sandstone. The occasional stretches of deeper sandy-bottomed river prompted challenges between Hannah and Matt to achieve full submersion in the chilly water (I made it up to my ear lobes and counted that a success).
We didn’t make it the whole sixteen miles. Next time…? We met a couple of guys from Georgia at Zion’s backcountry permit window the next morning who planned to do the hike with an overnight. Sounded like something fun to aim for…
By 8:30 hunger and darkness sent us back to dry land. Invigorated, covered in wet sand and fully “on vacation…”
‘The Narrows’ is a great name for this beautiful location.
Wow, looks breathtaking! A lot of people don’t know just how beautiful it is there!
I sure wish I had been there with you. That looked so cool and refreshing and what spectacular scenery! You must be loving your holiday.
What an AMAZING trip you had!!! WOOT!!! The scenery is so majestic. Jeff must take me to “The Narrows “one day. It’s like you were in the presence of God.
Hugs, JJ
Thanks for coming to visit my site. Glad you liked the elephant photos. You have some good photos here too. Zion is a great national park…one of the best in the states…
-Matt
Jean-Luc,
Surprisingly, there wasn’t a claustrophobic feel to it at all. You could always find blue sky if you looked up far enough… Kind of a magical place!
Darrin,
At times if felt like walking in the midst of some fun National Geographic adventure. I was thrilled that my kids got to experience a place so geologically different than our native Ohio.
Suzanne,
The Narrows was both refreshing and intriguing. Outside of the canyon, the temperature was in the 100′s!
As I write this, I’m sitting in Las Vegas McCarran Airport, trying to get home from a long weekend in San Francisco. Wishing I were still hiking in Utah…!!
JJ,
I think you’d love it there. The contrasts of color and formation are so intriguing. -And finding your footing is a fun challenge. You become completely immersed in the moment, a good place to be!
Nomadic Matt,
Zion was one surprise after another. It is definitely one of my favorite parks!
Thanks! Really interesting. I wish i could spend my time on writing articles…just have no time for it.
Thanks! Really amazing. Big ups!
Thanks for the visit, John.
thanks for sharing that
I will visit it with the first opportunity…
fantastic post
each time you are a surprise!!
Thanks Demetrios. That was truly a spectacular trip for us. Be sure and read about “The Subway” (and add that to your “visit” list). Zion has some terrific hiking opportunities!
The landscapes are the most weird I’ve ever seen even on photos. Glossy stone walls – are these a kind of waterfalls?
Hotels Ayia Napa: The canyon walls are composed of porous sandstone, so water continually seeps through. Zion National Park is known for its “hanging gardens”: plant life that grows in suspension on the sides of these steep walls. Pretty cool!